Gee’s Slough Effigy Mounds

The Gee’s Slough Effigy Mound Group, located near New Lisbon, are on the National Register of Historic Places. The New Lisbon area was once a winter gathering place for the Woodland Culture Indians – ancestors to the Winnebago tribe.

Represented in the Gee’s Slough Group mounds are three basic types; Totem —- this effigy usually is in the shape of an animal, Linear —- a long, straight line of earth raised above the surrounding ground, and Round or Oval —- this mound is mostly used as the burial mound of an important member of the tribe. The effigies represented at the Gee’s Slough Group are the panther or water spirit, the totem of the clan. The linear mound was an important setting for the Woodland Indian’s religious rites. The round or oval mound is sometimes joined by a linear mound to form a dumbbell shaped mound and were also sites of burials of other members of the tribe.”

“The Ho Chunk people are credited as being the mound builders within the region. The large effigy and conical mounds are found in southern Wisconsin and along the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers, these were solely the long inhabited areas of the pre-Columbian Ho Chunk people. These effigy mounds appear in the shapes of animals and birds, and many contain burials. It is important to note that all of these mounds were built with primitive equipment and by hand. They are so symmetrically accurate that it is amazing to view them today with the assistance of a compass.”

The Woodland Indians have also left Petroglyphs of the Thunderbird in area caves. According to Indian belief, thunderstorms were formed when the huge wings of the thunderbird flapped and lighting was caused by the opening and closing of their eyes. They were supposed to be the carriers of the lakes on their backs, which spilled when they tilted their bodies in flight, causing a down pouring of rain. The eggs that they dropped were the thunderbolts that sometimes struck the ground.

Today these caves are privately owned, however you can see cast of these wonderful Thunderbirds and a huge collection of local Woodland artifacts at the New Lisbon Library, located at 115 W. Park St. New Lisbon. 

Source: West Central Wisconsin Community Webring